1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an inflatable packaging system for protecting an article during shipment and, more particularly, to a leak-resistant system for reliably protecting the article even during rough handling.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is generally known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,558; No. 4,874,093; No. 4,918,904; No. 4,949,530; No. 5,272,856; No. 5,447,235; No. 5,487,470; No. 5,588,532 and No. 5,711,691 to form an inflated wrapping around an article to be shipped in order to cushion and protect the article during shipment. As advantageous as such inflated wrappings are, experience has shown that there is a need for inflatable packaging systems that can reliably retain a packaged article even during rough handling.
Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide a leak-resistant, inflatable packaging system that reliably cushions and protects an article to be shipped.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pouch that is easy to inflate, that resists leakage, and that is economical in manufacture.
In keeping with the above objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in an inflatable packaging system that comprises an inner bag smaller than, and located within, an outer bag, together with an inflation inlet between the two bags.
More particularly, the inner bag has an open end, a closed end, and first and second inner bag wall portions overlying each other and bounding a pocket for receiving the article through the open end. The outer bag exteriorly surrounds, and is sealed to, the inner bag. The outer bag has a first outer bag wall portion overlying the first inner bag wall portion and bounding therewith a first inflatable chamber at one exterior side of the pocket, and a second outer bag wall portion overlying the second inner bag wall portion and bounding therewith a second inflatable chamber at an opposite exterior side of the pocket.
In accordance with this invention, the first and second outer bag wall portions of the larger outer bag extend respectively past the first and second inner bag wall portions of the smaller inner bag. The larger outer wall portions bound a bypass passage with the smaller inner wall portions. This bypass passage is in fluid flow communication with both of the inflatable chambers. The inflation inlet, which is adjacent the open end, inflates both chambers from a deflated condition via the bypass passage, and retains the article in the pocket between the chambers in an inflated condition.
In one embodiment, the inner bag has a pair of outer corner edges spaced from, and bounding the bypass passage with, a pair of corner regions of the outer bag. In another embodiment, the closed end of the inner bag is spaced from, and bounds the bypass passage with, a closed end region of the outer bag. In both embodiments, the bypass passage does not extend through the inner bag wall portions, but instead, extends around the inner bag. This feature does not degrade the structural integrity of the inner bag and contributes to a system that is better able to withstand leaks, especially during rough handling during shipment.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.